The Titan USJE cement plant has hit back at the „Stop USJE“ environmental protests, claiming it's the first cement company in Skopje to obtain an A-integrated environmental permit and that all parameters stay within the limits set by law.

The company says it has invested 29 million euros over the past 15 years in modernization and environmental protection, that it operates using the best available techniques, and that in March 2026 it filed a request to renew its permit. „We remain committed to the highest environmental standards“, Titan says.

On the other side stands the citizens' initiative „Stop USJE“, which has been warning for years about pollution from a factory sitting practically inside the city. The dispute isn't new - it's a clash between „everything is within the law“ and „the law may be far too lenient“.

And that's the knot. The company can be right that it follows the rules - and citizens can be right at the same time that the rules don't protect them enough. When a cement plant operates right next to residential neighborhoods, the question isn't only whether it measures within the allowed limits, but who set those limits and how long ago. A permit on paper and the air in your backyard aren't always the same story.